The Boston Celtics made a trade deadline deal today, dealing Anfernee Simons for Chicago Bulls All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, and also swapping second-round picks.
This puts Boston under the first apron, saves them $22.5 million in taxes, and allows them to sign a waived player that had a pre-existing salary of $14.1+ million. Also, it may do one other thing: Pave the way for the return of Jayson Tatum.
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Currently, it’s still up in the air whether or not Tatum will return, but with this latest move, it could hint at a possible return.
The Celtics found their center upgrade in Vucevic, who is averaging 17 points, nine rebounds, and shooting near 38% from three. While he’s definitely not a defensive stalwart, his offense fits in seamlessly with Boston’s playstyle.
Plus, the Celtics may not be done. They need to get a backup guard that can at least replace Simons on the roster.
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Last season, Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, six assists, and 1.1 steals in 36.4 minutes per game. Combine that with Jaylen Brown’s MVP candidate stats, great supporting roles from Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and now Nikola Vucevic, plus a solid bench, the Celtics are paving a way for their superstar to return to a team primed to make a championship run.
Hopefully, Tatum and Boston realize that if he’s ready, then getting him back on the court is in both their best interests.
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